As the world looks on in horror at the brutal invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation a glimmer of hope has appeared in the skies over the capital Kyiv, where according to unconfirmed reports a single pilot, flying a MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter has downed six Russian aircraft in air-to-air kills which would make him the first single-day ‘Ace’ pilot in 57 years. An ‘Ace’ pilot is defined as one that has five confirmed air-to-air kills.
A Lone Fighter Pilot Bringing Hope To The Ukrainian People
The New York Post has compiled easily the best images of the pilot from the internet. They reported that “one Twitter user pointed out, such a kill count would stretch the ammunition capacity of the Soviet-era MiG-29.” However, this isn’t to say that the pilot accomplished all six kills in a single sortie without refueling and rearming, and as wartime records reflect, in a total war scenario it is common for pilots to fly multiple sorties per day.
Newer reports place the mysterious pilot now known with reverence as ‘The Ghost of Kyiv’ with seven airborne kills and even the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has stated via Facebook that the pilot could be any one of “Dozens of experienced military pilots from the captain – to the general, who were previously dismissed from the military reserve are returning to the #Army Air Force Air Force.” as confirmed by the Air Force Command of UA Armed Forces, an image of a Ukrainian Mig-29 accompanied the post, but is likely a stock image.
Прийшло підтвердження від армійців
«ПРИВИД КИЄВА»: УКРАЇНСЬКИЙ ПІЛОТ МІГ-29 ЗА ПЕРШИЙ ДЕНЬ БОЇВ ЗДОБУВ ШІСТЬ ПОВІТРЯНИХ ПЕРЕМОГ
Український пілот МіГ-29 за перший день повітряних дуелей здобув шість перемог над російськими льотчиками. Його вже називають «Привидом Києва». pic.twitter.com/YqYLCGoTpR— Edward Sheff🇫🇮 (@edward_sheff) February 25, 2022
Alleged videos and pictures of the dog-fighting pilot have run viral on Twitter with #GhostOfKyiv trending globally again and again. In the war-torn Eastern European nation, there is no way to independently confirm this story. But as The Washington Examiner wrote, “Author Seth Abramson said if the report is true, the pilot is a “stirring symbol of Ukraine’s resistance to Putin’s war crimes.”
According to many reports, such as GetIndiaNews, the Ghost of Kyiv has been credited with ‘splashing’ several Russian jets including a Su-27, two Su-25 jets, two Su-35 jets, and MiG-29M.
The Washington Examiner reported Russian casualty estimates from Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, “including the loss of at least five planes, two helicopters, and five tanks, along with at least 800 casualties. ” Various reports place the Ukrainian death toll at approximately 137 deaths with 316 wounded. Unconfirmed reports have stated that the Ukrainian Navy, possessing a single frigate, a single corvette, and around a dozen patrol boats and auxiliary vessels were knocked out of the fighting almost immediately, allegedly anchored at Ochakiv Naval Base which fell in the early hours of Feb. 24th.
Following the exploits of a Fulcrum pilot nicknamed "The Ghost of Kyiv" who has scored a confirmed three if not four aerial victories today (working on verifying the fourth). Footage is old, but it's him. What a fucking chad
Don't count the Ukrainian Air Force out just yet https://t.co/JwSGRIGTZd
— theScottishKoala – ArmorCast (@Sc0ttishKoala) February 24, 2022
David Nelson of Diario AS, a Spanish publication out of Madrid seemed to express some doubts over the veracity of the ‘Ghost of Kyiv’ reports circulating online but wrote,
“What cannot be denied though is that the idea of the Ghost of Kyiv has gripped social media users, particularly staunch supporters of Ukraine. In the replies to the posts about the alleged ace’s exploits many users express their admiration and hope that the Ghost will carry on taking the fight to the superior Russian air force. Maybe the Ghost of Kyiv is just a fantasy, but for the people of Ukraine, he or she is a hero they want to believe in.”
Until proven otherwise… this writer chooses to believe.
I choose to believe in legends. I choose to believe in the #GhostOfKyiv божої швидкості! #Godspeed! #UkraineWar Smoke those bastards. https://t.co/koFYPwtlvS
— MattHolloway🎙 (@TheHollowNet) February 25, 2022
